Report: Advocacy Workshops for BEST Employees

BACKGROUND

Mumbai District AIDS Control Society (MDACS), in collaboration with BEST workers’ welfare department, organised 8 workshops on HIV/AIDS advocacy for its employees in 8 different venues across the city.

The purpose of the workshop was to disseminate information and knowledge regarding HIV/AIDS, the transmission and prevention of HIV, and sensitising the participants towards HIV and those affected by it. One of the objectives of the workshop was also to tackle stigma and discrimination towards HIV+ve people, particularly in the workplace and among co-workers.

AGENDA

• Basics of HIV/AIDS: Transmission, Prevention & Debunking myths
• Treatment and Care related services
• Condom Demonstration                                                                                                
• Sexually Transmitted Infections
• HIV/AIDS related Stigma & Discrimination

Sessions covering each of the above topics were planned to be interspersed with audio-visual spots.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WORKSHOPS

1. High turnout of participants was a great plus point as people turned up in large numbers including traffic staff, bus conductors, drivers, apprentices, BEST officials and bureaucrats.

2. Positive Speaker Mrs. Suman Tiwari spoke about modes of transmission, HIV testing, ART therapy, followed by HIV/AIDS related stigma and discrimination. She cited hypothetical situations to make the information quite clear to the audience. There was also a lot of interaction as she threw questions at the crowd. The audience was quite enthusiastic in their response.

3. The Key Speaker Mr. Patwardhan touched on related topics while he also discussed more interesting themes such as Prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Maharashtra; the difference between HIV and AIDS; the taboo on sex and sexuality particularly among the youth and the importance of protection. He also interacted a lot with the audience while discussing the common myths surrounding HIV/AIDS.

4. The audience paid total attention during the workshop and were able to grasp almost everything that was put forth to them.

5. Normalizing use of condoms: While talking about modes of transmission, Mrs Gokhale also explained the context of “unsafe” sex practices, like having sex with a known/known person, sex workers, and so forth. She discussed about the “need” for sexual activity by migrant workers who “stay away from their homes” for a long period, and that such need for “physical (sexual) relations was normal”. In a way, she normalized sexual activity, highlighting the need for using condoms all the time.

6. HIV Testing: When discussing HIV testing, Mrs Gokhale shared that during operations or other health procedures, our blood does get tested for HIV irrespective of the stigma. Thus, she critiqued the notion of stigma, and added that the test is the only way one could know if they’re positive or not.

7. Positive Speaker Mr. James conducted Condom Demonstration in an interactive manner. Condoms were distributed among participants and they were involved in this session. Speaker also spoke about myths related to condom practices and shared correct and technical details about condom use and disposal.

8. The impact of the session was so good, that after James ended his talk, many young employees from the audience came forward and interacted with him. They shook hands and surrounded James with questions and queries, highlighting the breakdown of any stigma related inhibition.

9. A street play was performed at the end of the workshop. This element generated a lot of crowd and curiosity. Even workers who had not attended the workshop were present and listened to the actors with attention.

10. Saadhan Helpline cards were distributed.

11. Question and Answer sessions were conducted with the audience thereby increasing their awareness.

IMPACT

• Most of the respondents said that they have heard of HIV/AIDS before this workshop, mostly in the science textbooks in school, and among their peers. But they were not aware of the difference between HIV and AIDS until today’s session; one reason of thinking so is because the words are clubbed together most often in discussions, advertisements etc.
• Everyone found the workshop to be informative and said that they did “receive knowledge on the disease”; when asked if such workshops are effective, they replied in the positive saying that it is “required at the school level”. In terms of efficiency, most common responses reported were – Workshop changed their perspective about “sex”.
• The audience agreed that stigma exists in society and indicated that many of them also are apprehensive regarding the same. “Befriending and interacting” with an HIV-positive person could help in tackling social perceptions, but may also lead to them being stigmatised. But it is interventions such as these that will reduce fear and stigma.
• Most of them responded positively to the message and the theme, saying that “spreading awareness is important”, and that now, because of proper knowledge being disseminated, there is a “decrease in misconceptions” in the minds of the people. They also said that they would “like to help them (PLHA) now” and said that having a “support system for them” is very important.